Exercise device cable safety locking mechanism

Abstract

An exercise device comprises a cable, an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft, a gear coupled to the shaft, a latch movable between an extended position in which it engages the gear to prevent rotation of the gear in one direction, and a retracted position in which the latch does not engage the gear, an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on, and a spring to move the latch into the extended position when power to the actuator is removed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exercise device, comprising:
 a cable;   an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft;   a gear coupled to the shaft;   a latch movable between an extended position in which it engages the gear to prevent rotation of the gear in one direction, and a retracted position in which the latch does not engage the gear;   an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on; and   a spring to move the latch into the extended position when power to the actuator is removed.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein the gear can rotate past the latch in a direction that is opposite to the one direction, when the latch is in the extended position. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise device of  claim 2 , wherein the electromagnetic retraction mechanism provides a bias to spool the cable into the exercise device when the latch is in the extended position. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , further comprising a control mechanism to selectively apply or remove power to the actuator based on one or more contextual factors. 
     
     
         5 . The exercise device of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include detection of a user on the exercise device. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise device of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include initiation or termination of an exercise session by a user. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise device of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include expiry of an inactivity timer. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise device of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include detection or notification of a device fault. 
     
     
         9 . The exercise device of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include the exercise device being in a charging state. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise device of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include extension of the cable to or beyond a maximum limit. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a solenoid and the latch comprises a plunger movable in use by the solenoid. 
     
     
         12 . A method of operating an exercise device, comprising a cable, an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft; a latch movable between an extended position in which it prevents rotation of the shaft in one direction, and a retracted position in which the latch permits rotation in the one direction; and an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on, the method comprising:
 detecting one or more contextual factors relating to a user of the exercise device; and   controlling the actuator to either prevent or permit the rotation of the shaft in the one direction based on the one or more detected contextual factors.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include detection of a user on the exercise device, and the controlling of the actuator comprises moving the latch into the retracted position. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include initiation or termination of an exercise routine by a user. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include expiry of an inactivity timer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more contextual factors comprise detection or notification of a device fault. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions that when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations for operating an exercise device, comprising a cable, an electromagnetic retraction mechanism for spooling the cable into the exercise device, the electromagnetic retraction mechanism including a shaft; a latch movable between an extended position in which it prevents rotation of the shaft in one direction, and a retracted position in which the latch permits rotation in the one direction; and an actuator to move the latch to the retracted position when the actuator is powered on, the operations comprising:
 detecting one or more contextual factors relating to a user of the exercise device; and   controlling the actuator to either prevent or permit the rotation of the shaft in the one direction based on the detected the one or more contextual factors.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include detection of a user on the exercise device and initiation of an exercise session by a user. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17  wherein the one or more contextual factors comprise extension of the cable to or beyond a maximum limit. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more contextual factors include the exercise device being in a charging state.